So.... what exactly is it?

An eating disorder is an obsession with food and weight. Although we all worry about our weight sometimes, people with an eating disorder go to extremes to keep from gaining weight. Anorexia is one of the main types. People with anorexia are obsessed with being thin. They don't want to eat, and they are afraid of gaining weight. They may be freaked out about how many calories they take in or how much fat is in their food. Diet pills, laxatives and water pills may be used to eliminate the needed fat on their bodies. When a patient suffering from anorexia looks at their reflection in a mirror, it looks as if they were looking in a carnival mirror. Their reflection appears much, much larger than it really is. That is why they become obsessed with significant weight loss, when they are already deathly skinny. Their whole vision of themselves is distorted to look as if they are overweight. An estimated 10 to 20% will eventually die from complications related to it. Being anorexic is a like taking a journey through a hot desert. Patients strive for what they believe is perfection, setting high standards for weight they wish to loss. At all attempts, when asked if anything is wrong, majority of the time, the question is denied. The idea of being helped only brings upon the thought of being forced to eat; thus gaining wieght. It is incredibly important to treat this disease as soon as noiticed, before it gets any worse. Anorexics can be treated effectively through a combination of psychological, nutritional and medical care.

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